Mind Retrofit

Yesterday was awesome. We had one of those perfect days where all just went right. I have been having a hard time the last couple weeks with getting focused and staying on schedule. I have done it but it has been very hard. During the day I have had to take many breaks and stim.

The hardest thing for me is that the sensory input that Daniel needs happens to be the very things that sends my sensory issues into a tail spin. It has been really getting to me lately hence my expression of hate toward chalk. I want so much for my issues not to effect my children and I try very hard to do what I need to so I will not be irritable and have a melt down myself. I prayed the night before “God please help me spend the whole day with the kids, please help me just sit and be able to focus”.

My prayer was answered.

I was able to just sit and focus most of the day. I caught myself a few times running over to the computer and getting sucked into researching something but then I would realize what I was doing then get up and walk away. There were differences throughout the day though. Such as Daniel playing with Ariel and Joshua in the morning while I was getting breakfast ready. He continued to play with them after breakfast. Then he had enough and asked for a bath. After his bath he took a little break on the computer.

Ariel asked me to read a bunch of books that was not on our school schedule, I chucked the school schedule and went with their flow.

Joshua had asked me to play with him with his action figures and we all did. Daniel was still taking a break during lunch but he continued to come out and play a little then go back. During this time David had found a really cool online art program and we purchased it. (I have been looking for art curriculum and supplements.)
Here is the link: http://www.madcaplogic.com/index.php It was fantastic we all sat at the computer and learned about hue,variation, saturation, Issac Newton and how he used music notes for color. And on and on.

Then came the spinning color wheel.

Daniel wouldn’t stop and he started to get a bit aggressive so I had to stop the art lessons. I had Ariel and Joshua play together then I took Daniel to his room and sat with him. He was angry and hitting me so I just started to sing and clap “what does Boo want mommy to do, huh?” Over and over again I sang it and he jumped on his bed then he started laughing. He ended up singing it with me. When I could see he was going to be ok, we went into the living and played with Ariel and Joshua.

He snapped out of it!

The great thing is he can tell me colors on a color wheel and knows that if you mix colors you get other colors. We will work on the fact that the color wheel is not just for spinning but the big news is he was able to come out of it and let the color wheel go. All of that plus we had an adventure at Target too!

Side note: I really do not like sharing about Daniel’s melt downs. It breaks my heart that he goes through them I have been able to discern the difference between a melt down and a tantrum and I am handling them both the same way. I try to get a sense of his feelings that day and either just sit with him while he works it out, sing, get him focused on a spinning thing, or some other toy. I do whatever I can to help him get back to the state where he can show me what he needs or let it go. As with everything some days work better than others. And we take it one day at a time. He is such a sweet boy and afterwards he feels so bad I just try to support him as best as I can. He does not mean to be agressive I sometimes can see him struggle with trying not to.

I can totally relate because I have done the same thing my whole life. I wish I would have had some one help me during those times instead of fueling my fire. David is an incredible support for me and has helped me a lot in this area. So I guess you can say I have learned how to help Daniel through David’s love and patience.